APPLETON, Wis. (WLUK) — A Wisconsin woman exposed her 2-year-old daughter to a fatal dose of fentanyl when she allowed an alleged drug dealer to stay at her apartment, according to a criminal complaint filed Friday.
Brooke Seal, 28, made an initial court appearance Friday afternoon one count of neglecting a child-causing death for the death of Rosalie Garcia. A cash bond of $500,000 was set by Court Commissioner Brian Figy.
The charge describes the offense as "through her failure to take action, for reasons other than poverty, did negligently fail to provide protection from exposure to the distribution or manufacture of controlled substances... so as to seriously endanger the physical, mental, or emotional health of the child, and the child suffered death as a consequence."
Previously, the alleged dealer, Faheem Jones, was charged with five counts, including fentanyl possession, as part of the investigation. He has not been charged in direct connection with Garcia's death, and a warrant has been issued for his arrest.
According to the criminal complaint, police responded to the apartment Jan. 6. Garcia was taken to the hospital, where she died.
"Toxicology reports showed that the child died from exposure to fentanyl," the complaint states.
Seal told police that Jones was temporarily living at the apartment, and she confirmed he was a drug dealer.
Jones told police he was at the building to do laundry. In the laundry room, police found a backpack with a stolen gun, ammunition, and a plastic bag with 1,414 pills which tested positive for fentanyl.
"Based on the evidence located at the scene it is clear that the defendant exposed the child to Fentanyl in her bedroom and in other places in her apartment," the complaint states. "A GooStick brand metal tray, along with three pieces of burnt foil, and dark colored plastic pen tube, which is melted on the end and contains a dark residue was located on a small stand to the left of the defendant's bed, where the child was sleeping.
This item is consistent with the type of item commonly used to smoke, or freebase, a narcotic drug. A dark colored plastic pen tube, which is melted on the end and contains a dark residue was located in a wooden bowl next to the kitchen sink. This item is consistent with the type of item commonly used to smoke, or freebase, a narcotic drug."
Seal's phone also contained messages showing she was trying to buy fentanyl from Jones less than 10 hours before Garcia died, according to the complaint. The complaint against Jones details his possession of the backpack found in the laundry room.
Seal returns to court Feb. 13 for a preliminary hearing.
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